In this episode of The SAFE Leader Podcast, Mark McBride-Wright is joined by ESG and social performance leader Isobel O’Connell to explore what responsible leadership looks like when major projects, communities, regulation and commercial pressures collide. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience across Canada, the Middle East and international markets, Isobel shares why governance is critical to making ESG meaningful, how organisations can build trust through genuine stakeholder engagement, and why psychological safety should sit alongside physical safety in the workplace. They also discuss Indigenous participation, human rights in supply chains, the importance of assurance over glossy reporting, and why you do not need a leadership title to lead.

In this episode of The SAFE Leader Podcast, Mark McBride-Wright speaks with dystopian fiction writer T.A. Thompson about risk, experience, decision-making and what happens when the knowledge we rely on disappears. Drawing on more than a decade in commercial insurance, T.A. explores how a worst-case-scenario mindset shaped his writing, why people often fail to listen to those with more experience, and what can be lost when knowledge is not passed between generations. The conversation also touches on creativity, feedback, self-doubt, persistence and the challenge of balancing a corporate career with the ambition to build something of your own.

In this episode of The SAFE Leader Podcast, Mark McBride-Wright speaks with executive coach, facilitator and former engineering leader Sally Twisleton about the shift from technical expertise to intentional leadership. Drawing on her 18-year career at Rolls-Royce and her work through Assemble Coaching, Sally reflects on leading experienced technical teams, learning that leaders do not need to have all the answers, and the importance of listening, coaching and creating environments where people feel valued and able to speak up. The conversation also explores women’s progression in engineering, the role of mentoring and sponsorship, the relationship between engineering and manufacturing, and why different leadership styles can still achieve great results.